Goggles structure



De@ 2 1952 w. R. cH'Rls-rENsEN Erm. 2,619,642

GOGGLES STRUCTURE Filed June 8. 1949 /9 TTO/R/vEy' Patented Dec. 2, 1952 GOGGLES STRUCTURE William R. Christensen, Newton Highlands, and Chester E. Cross, East Sandwich, Mass.

Application June 8, 1949, Serial No. 97,862

(Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as amended April 30, 1928; 370 0. G. 757) 6 Claims.

The invention described herein, if patented, may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes without the payment to us of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to improved goggles, and particularly to an improvement in goggles frame structure and lens arrangement. to prevent fogging and lfrosting under conditions of low ambient temperatures.

Broadly, in principle, goggles, to be efcient under conditions of usage wherein climatic moisture and temperature conditions induce fogging and frosting, must .be provided with adequate and proper air flow means. This air flow means must be designed to induce a flow of air coinciding with the normal convection currents of the goggles cavities in so far as possible, to provide for ready and rapid removal of moist air which tends to collect upon the goggles lenses without producing undue chilling of the eyes.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved anti-fogging and anti-frosting goggles structure.

It is another object of this invention to provide an improved controlled air iiow through a goggles structure.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an improved anti-fogging and anti-frosting goggles structure wherein there is constant and rapid removal of excessive humidity entrapped within the goggles cavities without an undue chilling of the eyes.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an improved goggles structure wherein constantly controlled currents of air admitted from the exterior coincide with normal convection currents within the goggles cavities to continuously .and rapidly remove excessive moisture froml the eye-cups.

Further objects, advantages, adaptations and uses of this improvement in goggles structure will be readily apparent from the following description of the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a goggles structure embodying the invention;

Figure 2 is a top View of the goggles shown in Figure 1;`

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view on line 3--3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of the goggles Ventilating structure; and

Figures 5 and 6 are sectional views of blanks which form `air passageways for the goggles structure.

lReferring to the drawings, the goggles frame I 0 comprises a conventional flexible, rubber-type frame structure, having a resilient face-contacting body portion I I and extended rib I2, provided with bead I3, within which is a flexible lens-holding groove I4.

As indicated, the goggles frame structure I0 is of conventional rubbery material and the groove I4 is adapted to be exed for insertion of goggles lenses 5 in the usual and conventional manner. In addition to the groove I4, there are provided conventional snap fasteners IB and I'I adapted to clamp the goggles lenses into place likewise in a conventional manner. The goggles frame Ill is also provided with a conventional head str-ap I8, having its ends secured in the lugs I9 of the usual character.

For purposes of description, the goggles ventilator 20 is shown as formed from thin, flexible copper sheets or strips 2I, 22 and 23, cut and bent to provide a parallel series of air ducts or passages 24 and 25. The air ducts 24 are for-med by folding the blank 2I on the dotted lines 2I, to provide a plurality of uniformly spaced accordion folds forming partitions 26 cooperating with the portions 26 of the strip 2l and the extensions 28 depending from the portions 26 to form the inlet passages 24. Extensions 28 are of dovetail shape (Fig. 5) so that they overlap along their lateral edges 28' when the accordion folds 2S are formed in the strip and thus provide a continuous back wall portion for the inlet passages 24 which is inclined forwardly as best seen in Fig. 3 to direct incoming air toward the inner side of lens I5.

A baille or shield over the inlet to the inlet passages 24 is formed by dovetailed shaped ears or baflie extensions 2l on the portions 26 of the strip 2|. These extensions are bent forwardly over the inlet ends of inlet passages 24 and overlap along their lateral edges 2l to form a continuous shield or .baille for directing air into inlet passages 24. By Varying the spacing between the extensions 2l and the inlet ends of the passages 24, the amount of air admitted through inlet passages 24 can be varied.

The air passageways 25 constitute air outlets and are formed by bending the thin, flexible copper blank 22, on the dotted lines 22', to provide a plurality of accordion folds or projecting ribs 3d connected by wall portions 29. The proJ ecting, angularly sloping ribs 30, are uniformly spaced along strip 22 and have an upwardly and backwardly inclined upper edge formed by an angular V-shaped center cut of the extension on blank 22, as illustrated in Fig. 6. Attached to this upper edge of the ribs 30 is the thin metallic strip 23, having accordion folds 3| at equally spaced intervals to coincide with and serve as a means for attaching the strip to the ribs 30. As illustrated in Fig. 4, the strip 23 inclines upwardly and rearwardly over the top of air passageways 25 so that they are open on their rear side only.

After bending or shaping the blanks 2 I, 22 and 23, they are joined together as a unitary structure in the manner illustrated by the partial View of Fig. 4. The lower end portions of ribs 3B are aligned with the interior Vs formed by ribs 26' and the end portions 32 of the strip 2I are bent to overlap end portion 30' of strip 272 and thereafter sealed, as by welding or use of an adhesive as cellulose acetate or the like. yThe prefabricated strip 23 is secured to the prefabricatedstrip 22 by a suitable adhesive or welding together of the ribs 3l and 3U, respectively, andthe end 3 I is suitably sealed in overlapped relationhip to the rib 3U. The extensions 28 and their lateral edges 28' rest somewhat looselyV in overlapping position 19o-'provide an air-directing and distributing uni-t within the-goggles cavities.

In-order to insert the assembled ventilator 20 into goggles frame I0, a longitudinal opening in rib I2 is provided substantially across the ventire top of the goggles structure and of substantially the exact size of the ventilator20, whereby it may be inserted and sealedwithin this opening in the goggles. The back wall portions 29 of strip 22v and-the edges of -partitionsZE of strip 2I are sealed Adirectly at their contacting portions to the walls of the opening in rib I2 by a-suitable -rub'- ber or cellulosic adhesive 'or the like, of a suiiiciently flexiblenature to permit Vnormal "goggles exibility.

In conjunction with the ventilator 26 there is providedatransparent partition 33 'as-more clearly shown in Fig. 3, having a bottom -edge 35 spaced upwardly from the bottom of the frame Ill'so as to establish communication Vbetween the opposite sides of partition 33. The partition 3-3 Vis-secured within the goggleframe IU byva suitable spacing gasket34, which lis preferably Vsecured by suitable rubber Vadhesive or the like, to hold the partition 331i-n place. The top portion ofk-th'e partition33 istted-in the grooves orslo'ts 36 'in the 4forward edge oi the partitions r ribs-30 *thatare formed by -foldi-ng strips 422 'along 'the' lines j22 as pre#- viously described. When so positioned, the parti; tion 33-is not in 'airtight relationship `with the back-ingor-medianplate 26and the flarededges 28', which'flared edges 28', in conjunction with theflowerfedgesZ-of the backing'ZS, extends forwardly toward'the v1'. art-ition 33, as illustrated so as--to direct and evenly -distributeincoming air from the vpassageways Y24 over the inner area -of the partition I and -the outer rarea fof partition 33. In addition, the forwardly inclined `extensions28 are not in lairtight contact with each other or with the partition 33 so that egress is provided through outlet passageways 25 for moisture tending tocollect abouttheupper sur face of the partition-33 under and about the back wall of inlet passages 24. Further, the metallic extensions 2-3 serve las AheatY conductors to aid in maintaining lower non-condensing temperatures within the goggles'frame.

With 'the ventilator 2B secured in the upper'portion of the rib 4I2 and extending substantially across the top of the'goggles'frame, as described, the air inlet conduits 24 are at the `forward side of frame IIl with `the free -end of inlet bafes 2'1 extending forwardly lto form-an adjustable inlet producing a steady-and continuous-flow oiair into 'of lens I5 and both sides of partition 33, rapidly carries oil any moisture developing from excessive -humidity conditions. As indicated, the volume of now or passage of air is controlled by bending the bales 21 toward or from the upper end of inlet passages 24'. Under relatively windy conditions the ballies 21 may be substantially closed by being pressed against the bead I3 and the flared lateral edges 21', then 1 lserve to Ypermit a passage of suincient air to keep the goggles clear, as may be determined by the wearer. Under comparatively quiet orv nonwindy conditions, the extensions or baiiles 21 maybe opened by bending them upwardly fromV the bead I3 and the normal convectionV currents inducedv by normal heat conditions due to wearing will cause air within'the goggles'eye-cups torpassout-a wardly through the passageways 25, creating somewhat of a vacuum or suction between the lenses I5 and partition 33, which thereby draws,

new air into the goggles through. passageways :24. The relative angular position of the `memberm23 on ribs 3e provides .protective means for outlet' passageways 25, so that under normalv and eircessivewind conditions a reverse air -flow within the goggles is prevented.

If desired, or if the goggles structure is lto be used with additional glasses, the face contacting body portion II may be built up orv padded with an extra layer or layers of padding II, vsecured by a suitable rubber cement or the like.. In its construction the body II maybe enlarged or the padding added to provide more cavity area 'within the goggles.

Havingthus described 'the ventilator, it will vbe apparent that a somewhat modified, lmolded y'or otherwise assembled construction, in thenature' of that described and formed from rubber, resin, or other flexible materials, fitted with anfadjus'tfable air passageway cover means, including the use of transparent flexible or non-'exible vair guide means as 'a substitution -for the air guids' being merely preferredembodiments thereof.

We claim: Y

1. In`a goggles having a -lensY supported in a frame which has a exible -face contacting part cooperating with the lens'to denesubstantially vsealed eyecups when the goggles are Ywornv the combination comprising, ventilatingair inlet-and outlet forming means for said eyecups extending through the top side of' `said :frame and each comprising passage forming means, andatransparent partition in said lframe behind *said lens extending from one side of said frame-over at4 least a major portion-0f the area'of the frame to'dene a relatively narrow space behind said lens communicating with the atmosphere through said inlet forming Imeans Vand with "the space 'in said eyecups at the rear of said partition co-ntaining air in contact with the face of a wearer at a region opposite said inlet forming means so that the flow of Ventilating air -entering the inlet forming means is confined to said narrow space, said outlet forming means also communicating with the space in said eyecups behind said partition to provide for the escape of air from the said space and consequently to promote a flow of fresh Ventilating air from said inlet forming means through said narrow space and to the space behind the partition.

2. In a ventilated goggles having a frame including a part for holding a lens and an integral flexible face contacting part cooperating with a lens supported in the frame to define a substantially sealed space behind the lens when the goggles are worn, the combination comprising, Ventilating air inlet and outlet forming means for said sealed space each comprising wall structure forming a plurality of flexibly interconnected passages arranged in side-by-side relation in parallel front and rear rows extending through the top side of said frame longitudinally thereof, a transparent partition in said frame behind said lens, cooperating therewith to form a narrow space behind the lens, said narrow space communicating with the atmosphere through the front row of passages and with the sealed space to the rear of said partition adjacent the lowermost regions of said spaces and said space to the rear of said partition communicating with the atmosphere through said rear row of passages, and exible baffle structure on the outer end of said passages to direct air through the front row of passages into said narrow space and to promote convectional flow of air warmed by contact with the wearers face to the exterior through the rear row of passages.

3. A goggles as defined in claim 2 wherein the inlet and outlet forming means and the baille structure is formed from material of high thermal conductivity.

4. A goggles as defined in claim 2 wherein the flexible baille structure over said inlet means comprises extensions on the wall structure forming said inlet means bent forwardly over said front row of passages, and the flexible baille structure on said outlet means comprises an upwardly and rearwardly inclined exible deflector over said rear row of passages, said extensions partially overlapping when folded forward and being free of attachment to each other so that flexibility 6 thereof is not diminished and the baille is continuous when the frame is exed.

5. A goggles as defined in claim 2 wherein the flexible baffle structure over said inlet forming means comprises a plurality of forwardly extending laterally overlapping ears, said ears being readily bendable toward or away from the inlet end of said inlet forming means to control the Volume of air admitted to the goggles.

6. In a goggles having a lens supported in a frame which has a flexible face contacting part cooperating with the lens to form substantially sealed eyecups when the goggles are worn the combination comprising, parallel Ventilating air inlet and outlet forming means for said eyecups extending through the top edge of said frame, a transparent partition cooperating with the lens and frame to form a narrow space behind said lens communicating at its upper end with said inlet forming means and adjacent its lower end with the space in the eyecup between the partition and the wearers face, said inlet and outlet forming means comprising continuous strips 0f relatively flexible material formed to provide par.

allel rows of open passages defined by accordion folds in the strips and said strips having a plurality of extensions on the portions of said strips between said accordion folds including depending extensions forming back walls for the inlet forming means inclined forwardly to direct incoming air against the inner side of said lens and other extensions bent forwardly from the back sides of said inlet passages to form the baffle over the inlet ends of said inlet passages adapted to induce a ow of air through the latter into the narrow space between said lens and partition, and a baffle on said outlet forming means comprising an. accordion folded strip of material extending upwardly and rearwardly over the upper ends of said outlet passages to limit egress from said passages to the rear side thereof.

WILLIAM R. CHRISTENSEN.

CHESTER E. CROSS'.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,686,113 rPillyer Oct. 2, 1928 1,947,137 Fraser Feb. 13, 1934 

